140 Years Ago - 1883

Wish to buy apples for cider and will pay fifteen cents per bushel for good cider apples delivered at my mill. A  Grouten.

A special meeting of Frasier Post 361, G.A.R., was held Monday last and three new recruits were mustered.

Charles Quick has commenced taking up bees for his neighbors. He transfers the bees from their own hives, leaving all the honey. He has the bees for his pay. This is a very good way to get a start in bees for those who understand how to do it.

The first lot of apples sent from this place (North Branch) to the New York markets was sent by Fabian Reel last week.

130 Years Ago - 1893

Rockland gets the Sullivan County fish hatchery. It will be on the stream that runs through one side of that village and empties into the Beaverkill at its junction with the Willowemoc, a short distance north of the Rockland station. It is said that this will be the best of all the state hatcheries as the water is plentiful enough and does not freeze in the winter or get below sixty degrees in summer.

The largest job of wire fencing which was ever put up in this part of the country is now being done in the Town of Lumberland by C.W. Chapin of New York City. The amount of land Mr. Chapin has secured, which takes in a number of lakes, now amounts to 15,000 acres. This will be enclosed and stocked with  deer, elk and other wild game.

It will take five car loads of wire and 4,450 posts. Fourteen men are digging post holes and setting posts and seventeen more are stringing the wire. The cost is estimated at $25,000.

Morgans Post GAR held its 12th annual reunion at Roscoe on August 30. The parade was participated in by all GAR posts in the county.

Birdsey Young left for Orange County with another herd of cows.

John Ross is putting a new wooden raceway at the rear of his gristmill which will afford more water for running the mill.

Dr. Brand died about 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. He had just  returned from visiting a patient at North Branch when his housekeeper saw him gasp for breath. He was about 68 years of age and was born in Germany. No funeral arrangements have been made.

At the fall fair last Monday, the following awards were made: Matched Oxen, Melchior Eggler; Four-year-old steers, Jacob Dietrich; Two-year-old steers, Charles Schmidt; Bull, Tiny Scheidell; Two-year-old heifer, F. Schmidt; One-year-old heifer, Henry Schmidt.

Teachers engaged are as follows: Mileses, Miss Frankie Minckler; Hankins, H.J. Rixton; Hortonville, Howard Pintler; Acidalia, Luella Minckler; Round Pond, Mary Hornung; Babcock’s, Hattie Peters; Quick District, Eva Knise; Callicoon, David Taylor; Buck Brook, H.L. Gaubelman; Long Eddy, A. W. Blumberg; No. 9, Fremont, Paul Hartmann; Brag Hollow, Josie Happich; Gabel District, G.J. Anderson; Youngsville, James Keough; White Sulphur Springs, Miss A. Porter; Kenoza Lake, Jesse Perry; Swiss Hill, W. Morse; Faubel District, Kate Lober; Jeffersonville, R.C. Maltby and Louise Lober; No. 4, Delaware, E.  C. Neiger.

120 Years Ago - 1903

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Brand of New York.

The Erie is going to shorten its route by running its main line across Wayne County, tunneling the Moosic Mountain at Griswold’s Gap north of High Knob, abandoning Port Jervis and making Honesdale the end of the New York division. Port Jervis will then cease to be a railroad town and drop into the class with Lackawaxen, Narrowsburg and Callicoon. (The above has been copied from the Honesdale Independent.)

The seventy-fifth birthday of Prof. J.J. Stuchler was quietly observed last Sunday.

School opened Tuesday with Edward V. McDermott in charge and the primary department under Ralph P. Bird.

 C.W. Brown, representing a banking firm of New York City, is in town hoping to organize a branch bank here and promoting a trolley line, from here to Callicoon Depot.

Ezra Selleck, artesian well driller, is engaged in drilling a well in Wayne County, three miles from Narrowsburg. At the depth of 75 feet he struck a vein of fine coal a foot deep.

Rev. William Meyer, pastor of the Jeffersonville M.E. Church for the past seven and a half years, will leave to accept a call to a church at Lancaster, Erie Co., and where he had previously been located for five years and which had been his first charge.

Cider making season will soon be with us. P.W. Divers of New York City will again manufacture and ship large quantities to the city again this year, fourteen to fifteen hundred barrels in all.

110 Years Ago - 1913

Charles C. Alheit Jr. of New York and Helen Brey of Callicoon Center were married at the manse of the West End Presbyterian Church in New York City on September 11.

Samuel Shapiro and Sadi Rosafsky of Liberty were married at the bride’s home in Liberty on September 7.

Mrs. Harriett Bennett, whose death was noted last week, was buried from her home after a brief service and burial was made in the family plot in the M.E. Cemetery. Mrs. Bennett was the widow of Dr. Thomas W. Bennett who practiced in Jeffersonville for many years and died in 1906. She was born in England in 1846.

Mrs. Henry Schaefer died Monday at her home near North Branch. She was born Christina Knack, a daughter of Peter Knack, 56 years ago in Beechwoods. She leaves her father who is 87 years old. Eleven children were born. Seven of these and her husband survive.

L.A. Stewart has sold his 100 acre farm at North Branch to his son, Walter. This farm has been in the Stewart family nearly a hundred years.

Miss Margaret Miller of Hurd contemplates entering the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan, shortly. She will probably take up a course in domestic science.

Thomas D. Stalker, well known in Hurd, is acting in the capacity of pedagogue in the illustrious institution of learning at Birch Ridge. Hazel Stephenson has entered the training class at Liberty.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Isaac Post, who left about $80,000, left each of his daughters $5,000 in the will and $25,000 to a second wife. The two daughters are contesting the will claiming that their father was incompetent when the will was made and claimed fraud. The case was settled out of court. Each daughter will receive an additional $1,000.

Assistant District Attorney and Mrs. Owen W. Bohan of New York are at the Voeghtli farm for two weeks.

Wm. P. Miller and Harry P. Mathern, for some time employed at the Kohler lumber mill, have given up their jobs and engaged to work for John VanSchoick, building contractor.

Dorothea R. Wahl and Jacob J. Mansman of Callicoon were married on September 4.

Elizabeth Deckelman of Obernburg and George J. Yurescko of Rockaway, N.J., were married at Obernburg on September 12.

The new Hankins M.E. Church, which has been under construction for over a year, was dedicated last evening with Dr. Herbert E. Wright, Superintendent of the Newburgh District, in charge.

90 Years Ago - 1933

Supervisor George H. Raum of the Town of Delaware on Tuesday received notice that the state would take over the rebuilding of the Allgeier bridge. This is the bridge that was washed out on August 23.

Leo Wolff of Kenoza Lake has gone to Pine Island to teach. Edgar Schriber of Livingston Manor is principal there this year.

The September issue of The Eagle, Republican publication for enrolled voters in Sullivan County, which will go in the mails this week, will embody several unusual features, with a wide appeal to voters of all ages, in the fight to elect a Republican Assemblyman and Board of Supervisors.

The office in Monticello of the Sullivan County Title & Mortgage Guaranty  Company, which was taken over by the State Insurance Department a year ago, was closed last Thursday and all records moved to New York. It is generally understood that the transfer means liquidation.

John Cessna of Liberty, county manager of the federal employment bureau, has received 180 applications for jobs, with no jobs. About 8 men will be needed on a new bridge construction in about a week. Only a few women, mostly stenographers, are registered.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Miss Marie Hill, daughter of Mrs. Nellie Hill, and Bruno Babij of Brooklyn, were married Friday, September 10, at 10 a.m by Father Leonard Perotti in the presence of the immediate families.

J.H. Boucher is again teaching school at Black Lake.

Miss Ella Windmeier, who assisted at the Tumble Inn, Callicoon Center, through the summer, has returned to the Lester Gute home for the winter.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Seibert who have been employed in Bayonne for the past couple years, returned last night to take over the management of the confectionary shop of L.P. Faubel, who has retired from business.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Harry Schuler last week sold his interest in the Jeffersonville Cleaners to his partner, Lieut. Warren Ruppert, who is home on leave.

The firemen at a meeting on Monday night set the date for the big ball and dance that the company has held each year, with the exception of last year. The date is Saturday, October 17. It has been the big social event of the year for many years.

Walter F. Long died at his home in Beechwoods Sunday at the age of 81. The son of Jacob Long and Louise Boehmer, he married Caroline Metzger in 1892.

The United Jewish Appeal is richer by several hundred dollars following an appeal by Supervisor Francis Hanofee of Liberty, at the Leona Hotel, White Sulphur Springs, late in August. Nearly 300 of the guests registered at the hotel made donations.

August Lott of the Ace Garage, Jeffersonville, was an honored guest at a special preview showing of Hudson’s 1954 models at Detroit on September 1.

One additional polio case has been reported during the past week in a Sullivan County resident –- a 13-year-old girl of Bethel- who is being treated at home. This brings Sullivan County’s 1953 total of reported cases to two county residents and 17 non-resident summer visitors.

Aboard the radar picket destroyer USS Kenneth D. Bailey, which was recommissioned at the US Naval Shipyard on August 29, is William J. Holt, fireman, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Maynard Holt of Jeffersonville.

Alan F. Lieb, who spent several weeks in the Veterans Administration Hospital in Albany, returned home on Sunday. His sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. John Joyner of White Sulphur Springs, drove to Albany to bring him home. He will return to the hospital for a check up in about four weeks.

Mrs. Fred Dudling was the merchandise winner at Amber’s last week.

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Cooper and two children, Barbara and Stewart, and Sadie Berman of Baltimore, sister of Mr. Cooper, spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Adler. Mrs. Cooper is a daughter of the Adlers of Jeffersonville.

Mrs. Marge VonBerg has gone to Roscoe to stay with Mrs. John Amback (Signe Ahnstrom) while John is away on a fishing trip.

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Miller have gone on a two-weeks’ trip.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Louise Wilfert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Wilfert of Jeffersonville, and Martin Meyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Meyer of Fremont exchanged wedding vows on Sunday, September 8, at St. Mary’s Church in Obernburg.

The three-story main building of the old Fairmont Hotel near Ferndale was completely destroyed by fire of unknown origin Tuesday last week. There was no estimate of damage.

Village Manager Thomas S. Belmont said last week that Monticello has received federal approval of its proposed workable program. The village is now awaiting approval of its urban renewal application.

Sam Klein of Jeffersonville was the lucky owner of the winning ticket in the drawing for a Tin Lizzie, raffled off by the Jeff Lions Club. Proceeds will go to a scholarship fund.

Possible start this fall of reconstruction of Route 17B from Fosterdale to Route 55 just west of White Lake was announced this week by Assemblyman Hyman E. Mintz, on the basis of information from the Department of Public Works in Albany.

Edwin F. Kelley, 66, of Callicoon, died Sunday at the Callicoon Hospital after a short illness. He was a resident of Callicoon for 35 years and the director of the Kelley Funeral Home until he retired in 1950.

Richard Morey, White Lake building contractor, has announced that he would open a year-round training track for horses in mid-October. It is anticipated that 100 horses will train at the track this winter. Located on the Van Bueren Farm, it is only one and one-half miles from Monticello Raceway.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Ground will be broken at twelve noon Friday on Route 52 for the Town of Liberty Senior Housing project which is located just beyond the village limits adjacent to the Liberty Garden Apartments, east of the Triangle area.

The Town of Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corps was ranked second for smartness and appearance among the more than 30 competing senior units during last Saturday’s New York State Volunteer and First Aid Association Parade in South Fallsburg. The more than 1,000 delegates held their convention at the Raleigh and enjoyed it so much they are returning next year for their 19th annual meeting.

Linda Doetsch of Jeffersonville will be crowned Sullivan County Dairy Princess on September 15. She assumed the position upon the crowning of the current princess, Melody Hector, who recently became New York State Dairy Princess.

The Town of Mamakating Junior Ambulance Squad was ranked in first place for their classification during the 18th annual parade of the New York State Volunteer Ambulance and First Aid Association in South Fallsburg.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard F. Jacobs of Youngsville announce the engagement of their daughter, Linda Lee, to Clyde Dirie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dirie of RD 2, Jeffersonville. A December wedding is planned.

Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Minckler of Long Eddy were feted on the occasion of their 50t wedding anniversary at a family gathering at Big Valley Ranch at Sherman, Pa., on September 8.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a boy, Brian Joseph, September 4, to Mr. and Mrs. John Payne of Liberty; a girl, September 5, to Mr. and Mrs. George Perez of Livingston Manor; and a boy to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Calarino of Loch Sheldrake.

Christina W. Wizemann, 100, of Callicoon, died at the Countryside Haven in Callicoon on September 7, 17 days before she would have reached her 101st birthday.

Louis A. Smith, chief lineman with New York State Electric & Gas Corp. at Liberty, has completed 30 years of service with the utility.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Brown’s Hotel in Loch Sheldrake was the scene of the Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraising telethon. More than $14,000 in pledges from Sullivan County were collected.

Among the supervisor hopefuls for the fall election are Brian Ingber, Fallsburg, opposing Sam Rosenshein; Fred Tegeler of the Town of Tusten who will seek a third term; George Neuhaus of the Town of Bethel; John B. Niflot in the Town of Fremont; Pete Gozza in the Town of Liberty.

Deborah Driscoll of Kauneonga Lake became the bride of John D. Connolly on August 20, at St Anne’s Church in Kauneonga Lake... Lori Hyzer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Hyzer of Livingston Manor, and Jay Schulman, son of Beverly Schulman of Jeffersonville and Richard Schulman of Cochecton, were married August 21 at St. Aloysius R.C. Church in Livingston Manor.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mills of Callicoon announce the engagement of their daughter, Barbara Lynn Mills, to Jeffrey L. Fancher of Dunkirk. A November 12 wedding is planned.

A deck has been built, overlooking the Delaware River at Narrowsburg by Margaret and Charles “Chuck” Smith, owners of the Midtown Cafe in that village. A similar deck is planned for an empty lot along Main Street in Narrowsburg.

Ambulance corps from along the Upper Delaware River were honored Sunday at the second annual Summer Roundup at Lander’s Narrowsburg Campground. The event paid tribute to members of the corps from Cochecton, Damascus, Lumberland, Lackawaxen, Tusten and Upper Delaware Volunteer Ambulance Corps and serves as a fundraiser for the organizations.

Kenneth G. Strei, founder of the Catskill Shopper in the early 1960s, was killed Sunday afternoon after his car swerved onto the shoulder of Route 52 in Ellenville, hit a concrete headwall and flipped over.

Tom Miller Jr., a member of Grahamsville Boy Scout Troop #187, became the 32nd member of the troop to attain Eagle Scout status in an Eagle Scout Court of Honor held Saturday for the 13-year-old.

William and Lucy Pearson of Kenoza Lake celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at the Antrim Lodge in Roscoe. Mr. Pearson is a former longtime supervisor of the Town of Liberty and was instrumental in the development of the Sullivan County Community College, the Sullivan County International Airport and Walnut Mountain, recently named Pearson Park in his honor. He was also a developer of the Sullivan County Infirmary and Dixie Lake Park.

30 Years Ago - 1993

Beginning Tuesday, the Sullivan County Democrat began restoring its sidewalk, using stones from the original sidewalk. The 90-year-old building has always had a bluestone sidewalk. The Democrat, the Hudson Valley’s oldest newspaper at the age of 102, has occupied its present building since 1904. Between 1891 and 1904, the paper was located on Academy Street where the Ses-U-Me Car Wash is located (across from the old school).

Brian Rosenberger of Middletown, formerly of Hortonville, batted .480 (12-for-25) for Roche’s Garage at the national tournament and was named to the third team all-America selection. Pitcher Pete Head was named to first team and teammate Tod Mosher was named to the second team. Over all,  Roche’s took a ninth place in the competition in which 60 teams competed in Marietta, Ga., at the National Men’s Major Modified Softball Tournament.

Rose and Sam Seelig of Monticello were honored for their past and future contributions to Community General Hospital in a re-dedication ceremony Sunday in which the hospital named its Harris division after the couple.

More than 100 units marched in the 65th Annual Volunteer Firefighters’ Association Parade held in Loch Sheldrake on  Saturday. The Mechanicsville Fire Department from Virginia captured the trophy for traveling the farthest and the Lynbrook (L.I.) Fire Department had the most men marching. In the county, Hurleyville Ambulance Corps won a trophy for the best appearing ambulance; Bloomingburg for the best appearing large department ladies auxiliary; Neversink for most ladies auxiliary members marching; Rock Hill for the best drum and bugle corps among small companies; Hurleyville for the best appearing large regular company; Liberty for the most men marching from Sullivan County; Claryville for best appearing apparatus privately owned; Hurleyville for best appearing antique apparatus; Jeffersonville for best appearing motorized antique apparatus 20 years or older from Sullivan County; Woodbourne for best appearing custom apparatus 20 years or older; Grahamsville for best appearing commercial apparatus 20 years or older; Hortonville for best appearing commercial apparatus 11-19 years of age; White Sulphur Springs for best appearing custom apparatus  10 or more years old in Sullivan County; Highland Lake for best appearing commercial apparatus 10 years or older; and Liberty for best appearing ladder truck overall.

The 1993 Wheel & Rock to Woodstock 150 Mile Bike Tour for M.S. brought 1,200 bicyclists and their families to Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel to enjoy a picnic and concert to conclude their weekend of riding on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The Schuetzen Verein in Callicoon Center celebrated its 125th anniversary with a party at the conclusion of the Autumn Shoot, held at the Lone Pine in that village. Founded in 1868 by the German settlers of the village, the term “schuetzen verein” simply means “shooting club.” The group elected their first woman to captain the club four years ago. Serving with Artricia “Artie” Romney are Charles Berner, treasurer; Elise Hardenburg, secretary; and Ludwig Grainer, range officer. Ten members have logged more than 50 years each in the club.

The 1850s Milanville, Pa., General Store and Post Office was inducted into the Upper Delaware Heritage Alliance’s historical registry Saturday with a ceremony that included a one-day pictorial stamp cancellation, plaque presentation and refreshments. The store was originally built as a company store for the local tannery operation, according to local historian Mary Curtis, who conducted a walking tour of the historic Milanville area.

20 Years Ago - 2003

Two years after terrorists killed more than 3,000 people on American soil, the hurt and the pain are still evident. And on September 11, 2003, most people  took time from their busy lives to honor those lost.

A veteran of three wars, Col. Matthew “Joe” Freda of Callicoon was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on August 27, 2003. Born on June 30, 1919, Col. Freda died August 7, 2003 at the age of 84.

A priest who almost didn’t make it into the priesthood, Father Robert Ginel has led St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church since 1994. Now the parish has pulled together to plan a spectacular celebration for their beloved pastor’s 25th anniversary in the priesthood.

On Labor Day, the Town of Tusten beautification group held a formal dedication of its recently completed Renaissance Project. Masons from the Delaware Lodge in Callicoon and community volunteers also dedicated the Veterans Memorial near the Interstate Bridge in Narrowsburg.

Buzz on the streets of Sullivan West regarding the school district’s busing has gotten decidedly more positive in recent days, although Superintendent Michael Johndrow admits that there are still improvements to be made. But, he added, there’s a lot of fine tuning going on by the district and busing contractor First Student, both of which faced significant difficulties in getting students to school and back home during the start of school last week.

Jade Ebeling, therapeutic recreation specialist at the Achieve Rehab Facility in Liberty, and her husband, Joe Ebeling, recreated their wedding ceremony for the residents and staff, which had been held July 19. They exchanged vows for the second time with members of the staff acting as the wedding party.

Betty and Warren Miller of Horseheads celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 22. Former longtime residents of Hortonville, the couple was married September 1, 1943 at the First Lutheran Church in Jeffersonville.

10 Years Ago - 2013

Firemen’s Field in Yulan was brimming with German cheer as the 23rd Annual Von Steuben Day and Germanfest was celebrated. The event is hosted and sponsored by the Yulan Fire Department and features vendors, traditional German food, dancing, and live music. Many come to enjoy traditional Schuplatter Folk Dancing provided by the Germania Almrausch of Poughkeepsie. Live music was provided by Bavarian Musik Verein from Binghamton.

Noted author and former Fallsburg High School English teacher and department chair Andrew Neiderman is in town this week for wife Diane’s 50th reunion of the Fallsburg HS Class of 1963. Andrew and the former Diane Wilson, a Monticello native, have been married for 50 years. Despite all this international and Hollywood attention, the Fallsburg HS alumnus insists his Fallsburg-Wood-ridge-Mountaindale roots remain strong for both him and his wife.